July 2017

Regardless of what type of trip you're doing, any visit to Kyrgyzstan usually starts with Bishkek. Being the capital and one of only two cities in the country containing over 100,000 people, it is pretty much the only entry point (that is unless you're hitchhiking). And although it's significantly smaller and less developed than the cities of it's northern neighbor Kazakhstan, I must admit I enjoyed my time spent there.

While there isn't a whole lot to do in Bishkek, the city is nice and pleasant, lined with trees, parks, mini shops, and surrounded by mountains. It's the one spot in the country where you'll find supermarkets and full scale restaurants (which are both really good and really cheap), and, to my pleasant surprise, even a large stadium with a running track. Regardless of where you are, the views are scenic and the people are incredibly welcoming. Even just while walking down the street, I had people stop me (upon seeing that I clearly am not Kyrgyz) and ask where I was from while giving me recommendations of what to do while I was there. For the first time ever, I felt a bit like a celebrity.

One thing I can recommend thought would be the Osh Bazaar. Like many cities in Central Asia, there is a huge open bazaar in the center of Bishkek where you can get pretty much anything you want or need whether it be food, clothing, household necessities, cultural items, or odd smelling cheeses. And one thing I found pretty interesting is that, unlike most of its counterparts, it is almost entirely locals, meaning there are less souvenirs and more everyday goods. It's definitely worth checking out and everything is very, very inexpensive (and can be haggled).

I would definitely recommend spending a few days in Bishkek, but don't spend an entire Kyrgyzstan visit there since there is so much more to see in the country. Use Bishkek as a center point since, being the center capital, it's a good launching point for wherever you want to go, whether it be somewhere in the country or to one of its neighbors like Kazakhstan or Tajikistan.